How can affluent people minimally impact the places they visit?

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Tim Cahill

How can affluent people minimally impact the places they visit?
Question: How can a relatively affluent adventure traveler minimally impact the country and people he or she visits? A person's clothing, actions, and spending habits can influence the pristine nature of remote areas, and I wonder if this causes any harm. Your comments, observations, and recommendations, please.

Tom Frymark

Tim: Dear Tom,

Good question. This is a bit controversial, but I believe that responsible adventure travel (eco-travel) can have a positive impact on various countries. The national parks of Costa Rica are an example. Eco-tourism (especially in the rainforest) brings a lot of money to the country (without knowing for sure, I'd guess it would be one of the top 10 sources of cash). Costa Ricans — no fools — know that a despoiled forest does not attract visitors. There is a real reason to perserve the forest.

Or take a kayaking expedition to, say, Honduras. Kayakers sleep on the beach and leave it as they found it. They purchase food from local markets, and don't much disrupt the existing culture. (Unlike resort-based tourism that turns local folks into busboys and waiters and chambermaids).

Anway, those are my thoughts on the matter. Some folks, you will find, don't agree at all, and think the best thing you can do for developing countries is to stay home.

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